The poll numbers haven’t made very encouraging reading for Barack Obama. At a time he was expected to dominate, the race has been close, and the McCain/Palin ticket edged ahead by a couple of points in several polls, while states that a few months ago were solidly blue are turning a worrying shade of purple.

There is, however, one poll which should bring cheer to the Obama camp. In this poll, voters prefer Obama over John McCain by a margin of four to one – 49% to 12%. There’s just one problem: none of the people who took part in the poll are eligible to vote in November. In fact they’re not eligible to vote in any U.S. election, because they’re not U.S. citizens.

The poll was carried out for the BBC in 22 countries by Globescan and the University of Maryland-based Program on International Policy Attitudes. In addition to wanting to see Obama elected, a majority of respondents in 17 of the 22 countries believed America’s relations with the rest of the world would improve under an Obama presidency, while a majority in 15 countries said an Obama victory would ‘fundamentally alter’ their perception of America. The detailed results, and analysis, are here.

In some respects the results are understandable. Obama was the subject of huge media interest around the world during his primary battle against Hillary Clinton. McCain has enjoyed no such attention, although the polling was carried out before the pick of Sarah Palin to be his running mate raised the profile of his campaign.

However, it’s worth noting that polls produced by the BBC/GlobeScan/PIPA partnership have a habit of producing results that chime conveniently with the BBC’s soft-left worldview. Take, for example, the poll in which a majority of respondents from various countries said Iran could be dissuaded from developing nuclear weapons; the poll/in which a majority agreed that loss of innocent life was preferable to torturing terror suspects; or the poll in which a majority said too much “globalization” — aka free trade — was a bad thing. PIPA’s latest offering, via its World Public Opinion project, is headlined “No Consensus on Who was Behind 9/11.”

Then of course there’s the annual BBC/GlobeScan/PIPA celebration of American unpopularity, a poll in which the U.S. is consistently ranked among the least-liked countries in the world. There was a slight improvement in this year’s results, but the U.S. still enjoyed less favorable ratings than those bastions of democracy and freedom, Russia and China. The only countries viewed less favorably than the US were North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, and, of course, Israel.

GlobeScan’s Chairman, Doug Miller, is suitably pleased with his latest effort, telling the BBC: “Large numbers of people around the world clearly like what Barack Obama represents.” Miller continued: “Given how negative America’s international image is at present, it is quite striking that only one in five think a McCain presidency would improve on the Bush Administration’s relations with the world.”

An insight into Miller’s and GlobeScan’s worldview can be found in this extract from the “chairman’s message” on the company’s website:

At the same time, we consider ourselves part of the democratic process, “letting the people speak” to decision-makers on matters that affect them — at meetings of world leaders, expert forums, and the boardrooms of major companies.

To which one could respond that the people get to “speak” to decision makers through democratic elections, in the choices they make as consumers, and through pressure groups and other bodies. What does GlobeScan think its less-than-convincing poll findings, filtered through a biased media, add to the discourse?

What Miller appears to be talking about is “community organizing” on a global scale — in which case it’s hardly surprising that GlobeScan should produce a poll which suggests the majority of the world is rooting for the most famous community organizer on the planet.

59 Comments, 59 Threads

1.
SAF

It is much easier to defeat a nation if the guy at the top helps you. The Europeans have always been in an economic war against the US and having a guy like Obama at the top will just make it easier for them to win that war. So if I were a European he’d be my first choice.

Lets take global warming. The Europeans keep pushing us to eliminate reduce our C02 output and they say they’ll do the same. But of course since we use so much coal the only way we can do that is to spend trillions on something to replace it while Europe continues to build nukes and use natural gas which produces water not C02. Any such tax on the US economy will makes us less competitive.

In terms of taxes the highest tax on corporate profits in the world is for a company based in California. So if elected Obama will make the entire US less competitive. If you are BMW wouldn’t you just love that? Obama still thinks corporations pay taxes. Truth is they collect them. Taxes are reflected in the price of goods sold. So if you are a European and your economic enemy has a chance to elect someone who will shoot himself in the foot wouldn’t you be for him? I know if I lived in Paris I would be sending checks to the Obama camp.

Ok America, think about this one and please think about this one very hard. America’s economy is no longer a domestic economy but only part of a broader picture, which is the global economy. America’s market is no longer a domestic market but only part of a broader picture, which is the global market.

Bush not only has one of the lowest approval ratings of Presidents in the past and present, within our country. He also has one of the lowest approval ratings of U.S. Presidents in the past and present, throughout the world’s communities, mainly due to the unjustifiable Iraq War. This has damaged our standing in the world’s communities. The views of the world are currently very unfavorable towards America in a global market. What does that mean for the American public?

1) A world’s unfavorable view of America in a global market means that the world will be reluctant to buy many products made in America or use many services from America.
2) The world will be reluctant to invest in stocks, bonds, or any other financial investment packages from America, in the stock market.
3) Foreign investors will be reluctant to invest in American businesses, financial institutions, manufacturing, technology, military technology, and currency.
4) The world market will be more interested in exporting and less interested in importing from America.

Since our invasion of Iraq in 2003, we are seeing a major decline in one of our biggest market, which is the automobile market. While we are importing Japanese, German, Italian, and Korean automobiles and are buying them excessively now more so than ever; the world has been buying less American cars. GM, Ford, and Chevrolet have reported record losses and layoffs within these past 5 years.

A future President that will be viewed favorably throughout the world will not only strengthen our ties with the world’s communities, but will deepen America’s pockets for generations to come. So here is my wisdom for America —

~~~When one looks at a beautiful painting, one must not focus only on a small part of the painting or one will lose sight of the whole entire beautiful painting.~~~

Unless you intend every country have a vote on the leadership of every other country (“We are the world, we are the children …”) then leave us alone to choose the president best suited to America’s needs, not the world’s.

i’m not addressing “jeff” because he, she or it is clearly an astroturfing footsoldier, but i’ll offer this inconvenient truth for anyone tempted by the fatuous logic embedded in his comment: though i’m american now, i was born and raised in europe and have many family members, friends and acquaintances there. Not a single one of those people – nor any european i have ever heard of or met – has ever bought or not bought an american product, invested or not invested in an american institution, or (most laughably, perhaps) chosen not to export to this country, based on their feelings about the country’s foreign policy or president. none. nor will any if we select an experienced war hero over an unqualified empty suit about whom they know next to nothing.

“The theories expressed in The Prince describe methods that an aspiring prince can use to acquire the throne, or an existing prince can use to maintain his reign. According to Machiavelli, the greatest moral good is a virtuous and stable state, and actions to protect the country are therefore justified even if they are cruel. Machiavelli strongly suggests, however, that the prince must not be hated. He states, “…a wise prince should establish himself on that which is his own control and not in that of others; he must endeavor to avoid hatred, as is noted.” He also says “it is best to be both feared and loved; however, if one cannot be both it is better to be feared than loved.”"

These outsiders are the same people that want us to subordinate the US Constitution to the ‘World Court’, whatever that is supposed to be. America was founded as an alternative to the misery of the Old World. We’ve been very successful because we’ve always rejected the notion that government is the supreme grantor of ‘rights’. Let’s keep it that way and vote for those who want less government involvement in our lives, not more.

I’d consider the political preferences of such people to be irrelevant at best.

Jeff, I have been reading your wisdom all over the internet lately. While I am sure you believe I need to read it, I assure you I could have made it through my life without having ever been burdoned by your colectivist clap-trap. But I am sure you are a rising star over at the Obama Blogger Brigade. Too, bad you will pay the heavy price for this ignorance long after I have expired. Now for my advise,
– Please try to read our Constitution and leave a little room for learning in the area of liberty and living free. –

Please try to fit what you have learned from our Constitution into a World Community that has never been protected by these principals. It is as useless as trying to bring Democracy to these Middle Eastern fiefdoms.

Obama is not qualified to be President of his daughters school PTA much less the US. What has he accomplished? What has he been in charge of? Let him go to Europe and be President there. We don’t need his Marxist philosophy. He ran 12 rehearsals for this debate and is an empty suit with an empty brain. John spoke spontaneously as a real person. Barack will wipe out the middle class and make everyone depend on the government

Europeans are irrelevant to this election and to the future of America. The US doesn’t need Europe; it’s the other way around, like it or not. Before the Central Banks make any major moves, they wait on the Fed or what’s happening in Wall Street or in America’s Main Street. It’s been that way since the Wright Brothers, WWI, WWII, Korean Conflict, first man on the moon and 9/11. I lived in Europe and love the continent and will always love Europe. One thing I don’t like about many Europeans is their stubbornness and inability to accept reality. They blame everything that’s wrong in their country on their government and with America, and strangely with Bush — instead of looking within, at themselves, or around their community and seeing what they can do to make life better. Many Europeans are gullible and fall for anything, including elitist shams like Obama. I don’t think they’re even listening to what he’s saying — they’re just looking at him and falling for the flash, the performance, the event — like little schoolgirls. For many years, before 1939, many there fell under the spell of another very charismatic guy. His name was Adolf. Europeans have a tendency to forget very easily. I’m not at all saying Obama is anything like Hitler; of course, he’s not. I’m merely making an analogy on the gullibility and naivete of many in Europe, especially the young adults and the vehemently anti-American baby boomers. Many Europeans do not like to admit to themselves that without America, they would have lost their continent to a madman (either Hitler or Stalin). I think my mother-in-law, who is English, only recently started understanding Americans — probably because previously she didn’t want to give them a chance. She, like many Europeans, believed what was written in left-wing newspapers and what is shown on TV, but isn’t insular and ill-informed what Europeans say about Americans?

This great country has never before even considered electing someone with as blank a resume’ or the number of associations with really unpleasant characters. All Obama did was get pushed into politics by a communist mentor, financed into Harvard by a Saudi billionaire, and hired as a left-wing activist by ACORN, an organization dedicated to voter fraud.

We are left to fill in the empty spaces in his background (his years at Columbia) with supposition that he spent the time doing drugs with Bill Ayers, the unrepentant terrorist.

Those who plan to vote for Obama can’t name a single accomplishment of his beyond getting votes. His days in the Illinois Senate were unremarkable, and all he has done in the U.S. Senate is run for president. Oh, yes, he did write two books, about himself. What a great talent! He can read Axelrod’s speeches from a teleprompter! He should be our next president!

Be afraid of this man who never was — The man who has to serve as president is not the man the media is selling us.

UPDATE TO MR. PHILLIP BERG’S LAWSUIT AGAINST BARACK OBAMA BASED ON OBAMA’S INELIGIBILITY ON HIS CANDIDACY AS REGARDS THE REQUIREMENTS OF NATURAL BORN CITIZENSHIP ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Partial excerpt from an email I sent Mr. Berg:

“I trust the judge did not originally dismiss your lawsuit because it does indeed have merit. We, as Americans, in order to fulfill the intent and directive of our Constitution are bound by patriotic duty to determine the legal status of any citizen running for the Presidency of the United States; such determination of status having to do with a requirement that said citizen must be a natural born citizen. Mr. Obama should be required to present pertinent evidence that would allow a judge or qualified public official to determine if he is, or is not, a natural born citizen. It is a legal requirement.”

It appears that Mr. Obama is trying to stall the matter. The outstanding issue is Mr. Obama’s birth certificate (Certificate of Live Birth). It appears that so far he has obfuscated this issue as well by providing, or having his agents provide, a false certificate of birth for publication.

But to Mr. Obama’s determent, the people of the United States of America demand that he (Mr. Obama) remove himself from eligibility to run for any political office for which he is not qualified and/or for which he (Mr. Obama) will not publicly present authoritative qualification for his candidacy as required by the Constitution of the United States of America.

If you’re like me, pissing off Europe is reason enough to vote for McCain. Remember, these are the same people where >50% think the U.S. caused 9/11 instead of terrorists. Anyone looking to these yahoos for political advice should not be allowed to vote.

With the utmost respect, its nice to be liked but craven self loathing is not going to get us liked by people that dislike us for reasons having nothing to do with Bush.

The world has never liked us all that much: and if you travel much you know what I mean.
Greece was anti american in the 70′s and 80′s. One guy there spit at me. In the 70′s and 80′s resisting the USSR was someone’s job and they weren’t doing it and knew they could spit at me: they’d never dare spit at a Russian then. They’d never dare spit at a muslim man now. But they know the US puts up with crap as no one else will.

There were huge demonstrations in Europe aginst basing US missles there in the 80′s: it was OK for us to base them here, of course, and risk oblivion for them.

Dafur: for all the big talk, no one in Europe has done squat. The killing continues. Talk is just grand.

Democracy as we have it threatens the rule of self styled elites that brought on WWII and the enemic economies of many euro countries.

Who used to like us? France pulled out of NATO in the 60′s and spent the last 40 years harassing us. They wouldn’t let our planes fly over france to bomb Kadaffi. They’ve been nothing but pains till just recently.

The Canadians harbored our draft dodgers (until just recently) and have used our military strength to reduce their own.
Meanwhile they have administrative courts charging people for speech crimes and dismissing “free speech” as “an American concept.” They think our unbridled speech and so on is nuts.

Cuba used a boatlift opportuity to the US to empty its prisons and we spent years finding all those dudes (usually at the scene of crimes).

Norway and places like it that couldn’t resist an invasion if it came tomorrow are now telling women to “get with the times” and adjust to changing cultural mores there (meaning dress less “provocatively”) and emn to curb their tounges as muslim fanatics refuse to abide by western standards of behavior.

The Swedes, who couldn’t be pressed to take sides in WWII, are the same. They loathe western things so much they’re about to lose their own country. Those people that find Sarah Palin’s 5 kids to be astonishing are vanishing. Know what the most popuar name is in Mamlo Sweden? Its Mohammed. I’m sure the people in Mamlo are nice but Sweden as a country is not long for this world. They can blame that on Bush I suppose.

Racous free speech? Blacks and latinos advancing in politics and business? Multiple news networks? Here not in those places. Europeans lecture us about racism holding back Obama, but you’ll wait a long time before you see a black or latino–or indigenous Muslims–running for top office over there. In France they seem to have exiled them to areas where most frenchmen dare not go. And they lecture us about racism? How many blacks and latinos do they have?

Our auto exports have tumbled steadily since the late 1960′s as we opened up our markets to the japanese but couldn’t get a freighter full of US autos past Japanese customs. (yes, yes, the unions and Gm’s awful management haven’t helped at all). European courts hold Microsoft in violation of Euro law for being too successful.

Be proud of your tumultuous country. Its one place, with all its inefficient courts, babbling politicians etc that stands head and shoulders above the rest. The world would be happier if we were more docile and quiet, but you wouldn’t like it at all.

> Obama worship overseas should not affect any American’s decision on who to support.

Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong.

For one thing, the last time thousands of Germans were all in a mass hypnotic trance screaming their allegiance to a socialist who had nothing much going for him other than charisma and the ability to give a great speech…

…it didn’t work out so well. Not for us, not for France, Poland, Etc, and certainly not for Jews.

And in regard to all these Euroweenies who will only approve of the US if we all march ourselves into the sea: if they decide to take my vote for McCain/Palin as a huge flip of the birdie finger, well, that’s a big plus in my book. YMMV.

If you don’t realize that our perception in the world is a key component to domestic security and winning a war on terror, you’re retarded.
Sep 27, 2008 – 9:02 am

Eric is referring to the perception that we in the USA are weak and dissolute, that we won’t stick up for ourselves or react in kind to events like the 1983 Lebanon bombing, 1993 WTC attack, 1996 Khobar Towers, or 1998 bomb attacks on out embassies in Tanzania and Kenya. Obviously, the perception that we would not only fail to pursue our enemies, but would actually try to appease them in the hope that they would refrain from further attacks, contributed to al Qaida’s decision to attack us in 2001 and still adds fuel to the fire of present anti-American sentiment.

Eric is correct: how we are perceived by the rest of the world is enormously important. He may not exactly understand why.

What hit me was how smug and stupid McCain is and was on the debate. Not an inch of decency. Not even close to Presidential. More like a school bully who knows he is losing his power to push people around. What I can’t understand is some people will still vote for him even after the economy is crashing and people are dying in needless wars. I used to ask whether these people are stupid. Now I know, “yes, they are”. One thing for them… If McCain wins – it’s your choice. You make your choice. Live with it, pay up the next $700 billion+ and shut the f*ck up. You just lost your right to b*tch.http://angryafrican.net/2008/09/27/actually-you-are-a-stupid-twit/

Obama is an Affirmative Action candidate for President and the liberal press and Democrats know it. They even admit it. Statements by the Press that applaud the idea of the first black President without any reference to His accomplishments, competency, experience, or even to details of His proposed changes are obvious verifications of this. The only thing that counts is that he is black. What a feeble resume to submit for any responsible position, let alone the Presidency of the United States. The Press has consistently protected Him from any noteriety concerning present and past financial scandals, dubious personal relationships, anti-American statements, and other activities with possible negative connontations.

I realize that any criticism which concludes that race is the primary asset to His campaign is to be considered as coming from a racist, but labels are not sufficient responses to legigimate criticisms. A prominent female democrat remarked that Obama wouldn’t be a presidential candidate if He weren’t black and She was castigated for it. I would say that She was perfectly correct.

At some point in the future of this Country, a man or woman, qualified to be President, who happens to be black , will be selected by the people who believe that He is the one that they want for President based on qualifications and not color. Barrack Obama is not the person.

Obama doesn’t like our constitution.
First amendment he tried to suppress two guests from appearing on WGN radio in Chicago, Mr Freddoso and the guy who investigated Obama/Ayers serving on the same board.
Second amendment Obama is against citizens owning guns.
Read Homelandsecurityus.com about possible financial terrorism by overseas people shorting financial stocks around 9/11. Are the same people donating money to Obama?
What will happen if he wins? Where is his birth certificate?
I had to bring more documentation to register to vote than we have seen from Barack to qualify for President.

AdrianS reported the current status of “Mr. Berg’s law suit questioning if Obama is a native born”. If Obama is not qualified according to the Constitution, we shouldn’t be wasting our time and money to continue this election. I am sure many many voters will like to settle on this point ASAP. Why then, is Obama dragging his feet to clarify this point ?? We should demand a quick resolution by the Court.

> Ed Wallis and Ex-Democrat (or anyone here, for that matter): can you please enlighten me as to the use of “astroturf” (principally as a verb) here?

You probably are familiar with a “grassroots” campaign: like say the widespread uprising over the recent attmpted immigration/amnesty bill.

An astroturfing is when political campaigns and/or PR firms try to create a grassroots campaign, artificially, (hence the name). Sometimes it’s to spread rumors about a candidate, (recent junk about Palin), sometimes it’s just a business trying to swell up interest in their product…

But it’s a deceitful thing– they take on phony names and post at blogs, take out ads under organizations that nobody’s ever heard of before but sound like grassroots stuff, bribe journalists to write about a supposed swell of public resentment/support/whatever it is…

An example is the astroturf that resulted in McCain/Feingold– there were studies from thinktanks and newspaper articles all over yinyang suggesting that the public was screaming bloody murder for campaign finace reform…

But the public wasn’t; it was all a sham. But to the legislators in DC, it seemed like there was a tidal wave out there; they fell for it.

You sound very sad about Obama tanking at the debate. I don’t blame you. If McCain made himself look like an incompetent, high school boy peeing in his pants, I’d be sad too.

I’m also so sorry you don’t understand the fundamentals of how we got into this economic mess. You seem to think it has something to do with McCain. You’re only partly right. Let me try to explain: During his presidency, Clinton signed into law a bill that required banks to give home loans to people with bad credit at low, fixed interest rates and with no money down. Once those rates went variable, they could no longer afford their mortgage payments. Meanwhile, institutions like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were purchasing those bad mortgages from the banks and re-packaging them to sell to Wall Street in the form of mortgage-backed securities. With me? Okay. So, a few years ago, the REPUBLICANS, specifically JOHN McCAIN warned that Fannie & Freddie were conducting business in a very unethical manner by selling bad loans to Wall Street firms disguising them as good loans backed by the government. Alan Greenspan, along with John McCain advocated for oversight and regulations on those institutions. All of the republicans on the banking committee voted FOR the regulations. ALL of the Democrats, on the banking committee, headed by Chris Dodd, who not surprisingly was the largest recipient of major cash from (guess who?) Fannie & Freddie, led the charge against the regulations. Guess who else voted no on regulating this practice recently? Obama and Biden. Shocker! So, when you talk about why we’re in this mess, talk about the democrats. Do NOT talk about McCain. He was the one who wanted to avoid this. The Democrat-controlled congress blocked his efforts, and now we’re in the soup but good. McCain / Palin: change is coming, and not a moment too soon.

USAF Captain:
I believe astroturfing as a verb means that lefties are trolling conservative blogs, trying to stuff their opinions down the throats of conservatives. Same can be applied to righties on lefty blogs. If that is incorrect, please let me know.

Angry American to Angry African. What connection do you see between McCain and the American mortgage banking industry? And if you see one, why don’t you think that same connection would apply to Obama? Butt out, you stupid racist.

This is just a fictional story that I have created to bring light to the time that we are in now —

Two men from the year 3000 decided to take their spacecraft on a trip back in time to learn the events of the past.

One man asked the other, “Steve, which part of history should we go back to?”
So Steve replied, ”Let’s go back to 2008, John. It was a very significant time in our history. This was the time when our country was at the crossroads of deciding our future and the end results of their decisions are what we are living with now. I heard that our country was at its most crucial time because it was economically crumbling at the core of its foundation.”
“Fair enough Steve, let’s go back to 2008,” John agreed.

So they both entered their spacecraft and took a trip back to 2008. Within light speed they zoomed across time going back to 2008 and soon appeared above The White House in Washington DC, up in the sky just hovering in stealth mode.

Steve turned to John and said, “Let’s turn on the screen and watch all the events of this time starting back from the day America was attacked on 9/11/01, John.”
So John turned on the screen and the two watched all of the events starting from 9/11 to the current year that they were in, which is 2008. While they were watching all of the events of 9/11, the Afghanistan War, and the events of the Iraq War up to the current time that they are at, which is November 4th of 2008. They paused the screen and looked at each other, just scratching their heads.

John looked at Steve and commented, “Steve, these events are devastating after 9/11. We went into Afghanistan which was right but everything shows that we had no reason to go into that other country called Iraq. There was so many of our soldiers and people that died in this carelessness.”
So Steve thought about it and replied, “It appears that you are right, John, but the people of America seem to stand with this President. Now let’s un-pause the screen and watch this 2008 election and the 4 years that follow this. Then we go back home.”

So John un-paused the screen and the two watched the 2008 election and the 4 years that followed this election and went back to their own time, which is the year 3000.

John looked at Steve and commented, “This trip gave me a new view of humanity, Steve. I don’t understand why we continue to make the same mistakes over and over again. That white man was just a continuation of that last President but our ancestors voted for him anyway because America could relate to him more. They voted for him because he looked similar to the majority of them but denied the other candidate simply because he looked different. Although that other candidate looked different, he seemed to want to help the country turn around. He seemed to look forward to the future and had futuristic ideas of not just transforming America for the better but creating a unity in the world. He seemed to be a man of the world and the world seemed to view him very favorably.”

So Steve answered, “I understand how you feel and I share the same sentiments, John. At that time in history, human mentalities had not transcended beyond fear of the different and the unknown. The human mentalities at that time had not transcended above and beyond the differences in color, creed, religion, and cultural backgrounds of this world. Because of this ignorance, our society is what it is today. It’s the year 3000 and wars are the only one thing that seems to be unable to evade humanity. Now, we are crumbling at our feet with all these wars all across the globe. We had a defining movement in history, John. We had a chance to open our minds and hearts to something different and something new, but we, as a collective, blew it. Now humanity is at an endless conflict and I fear that we are meeting our extinction. God help us all.”

Jeff, are you seriously suggesting that humanity is headed for extinction if Obama is not elected president? I have a very limited ability to suspend my disbelief, and therefore find it astounding to read comments such as yours. Even if he is elected president, Obama will not cause a paradigm shift in human affairs. Having a cosmopolitan African-American in the White House is not going to solve the world’s ills. For example, Islamic radicalism is not going to disappear because an American president once attended an Indonesian religious school. There is considerable resentment within such circles regarding Obama’s “apostate” status, since the children borne of a Muslim father are considered Muslims themselves. I can guarantee you that if he becomes president there will be attacks that will be motivated by such resentment for the betrayal of his heritage.

I also take exception to your claim that the only reason I would vote for McCain is because he is Caucasian. There are many aspects about McCain and his policies that I don’t like (off-shore drilling, tax cuts and abstinence-only sex education to name but a few), and if Sarah Palin were to fall under a bus I would be the first to cheer. Unfortunately, Obama truly scares me. He has very unpleasant friends, limited governmental experience, threadbare policies (opening the strategic petroleum reserve and boosting ethanol subsidies)and genuinely disturbed supporters such as yourself. His speech disowning Reverend Wright was a masterpiece of evasion, as was were his attempts to distance himself from Tony Rezko. The Democratic National Convention certainly demonstrated how eagerly certain sections of the electorate are willing to let themselves be blinded by such an obvious opportunist.

I view an Obama presidency as a necessary learning experience for contemporary America, just as Jimmy Carter was a learning experience for the previous generation. Once the empty rhetoric and saccharine sentimentality has worn away, the emptiness of his ideologies will be exposed.

USAF Captain, fair is not fair in the blogisphere. While PJM and conservative blogs allow dissent and opposing opinions, most liberal blogs will not post anti-Obama comments. They are in for the kill. Even if they were up by 100 points in the last few seconds of the game, they will not just let the clock run out. They will continue to hammer in more points and even break legs if they could, in the process. They’re vicious and a determined, resolute, well-oiled establishment. But the McCain movement is impenetrable, as well. I don’t think that McCain will need a Hail Mary at the last minute because America will finally wake up to the dangers of an Obama presidency, and the electorate will converge to make McCain/Palin victorious on 04 Nov.

One thing rarely mentioned about Obama’s attractiveness to the Europeans is that he is black. They believe his potential election to the highest office of the USA would be poetic justice, a kind of penance that (as they see it) a deeply racist USA can and must do to begin to rid itself of the shameful stain of slavery and racism that we have been sullied with since time immemorial. I am an American who has lived in Europe for over 20 years, and it never fails to amaze me how many well-educated Europeans believe that black Americans still live in abject poverty, kept down by the evil white man. I’m not saying that there are no poor blacks in America, or that there is no racism, but Europeans tend to believe – and WANT to believe – that whites living in the South are all frustrated KKK types, that white policemen regularly beat blacks for no reason other than the sadistic lust to do so, and in general, that white Americans are all part of a vast conspiracy to keep blacks out of the Middle Class, out of good schools, out of good jobs, etc. For this reason, a President Obama would be another way for the European elites to sneer at America… only this time it would be Schadenfreude as they imagine the humiliation and fear that white Americans would endure under a black President. And this coming from people who would never in a thousand years vote for a black man as President of France, Prime Minister of Britain, Chancellor of Germany, etc.

A possible equivalent of this would be the following imaginary scenario: a Jewish man is a serious contender for the post of German Chancellor. He’s utterly unqualified for this office, and has no relevant accomplishments in his past career, but he’s a smooth talker, and, as I said, he’s Jewish. Elites in the USA – whether temselves Jewish or not – would be rooting for this man precisely BECAUSE he is Jewish. They would see his election as a chance for Germany to atone for its past sins. And – the flip side of the coin – if he were defeated in the election, these elites would blame German anti-semitism. That’s the only reason why someone would pull the lever for the othe guy, right?

American is of course electing a world leader. What’s wrong with McCain being a world leader? I didn’t see a conservative can have so little faith in their candidate. POTUS is of course the most, most, important world leader. The title is ridiculous.

Ah, I see that there is in fact no shortage of religious redneck Republicans in this forum. You guys seem to flock to every article. All your talking points are so typical, bland, *yawn*….oh I dosed off for a second there just looking at all the redundancy in here.

888 Remember the democratic convention of pluralism………………to have a government that is of one mind is a totalitarion convention: one without the ability to be challenged.

The debate imho was a bit of a dull affair. It really was just a confirmation of the same consistent appearances and it did not alter my choices one iota. Nobody won or lost, they are still in the race and it will be seen at the polls.

I agree somwhat with your opinions of liberal censorship, I think they censor and the GOP does not comment. The dems use the ambit and any body with any insight can see the folly and chance of the ambit.

No I fear Obama……………………..he needs to be kept in check. McCain is ‘in check and needs a bit of encoragement but of the two its Mccain. We are heading for ‘bad’ weather economically and we need a calm and clear headed captain on the helm. I dont think Obama would be a good captain in rough weather.

“a majority of respondents in 17 of the 22 countries believed America’s relations with the rest of the world would improve under an Obama presidency, while a majority in 15 countries said an Obama victory would ‘fundamentally alter’ their perception of America.”

Well, they’re lying. Anti-Americanism didn’t begin in 2000 and won’t end in November, even if the One ascends to his rightful place among the clouds and cherubim. See W, above, for details. European politics, media, and education is driven by leftism, and leftism (external and internal) regards the US as the enemy. If they want us to do something, you can bet it’s not in our best interest.

Christine, you say the same asinine, pathetic crap in every comments section. What are you, twelve?

I am a Brit who is closely following the US election, why is that, OK noting that McCain was chosen because this year should be a Democrat year and the Democrats have picked the most left wing candidate they could, so McCain was a strategic pick.

In the USA you are able to chose the people who make decisions, sort of. In Francee I get the chance to chose people who are one of those who choses people (EU commisioners) to over see those that make the decisions, in the UK I get the chance to vote for an MP in what is now a micky mouse parliment who choses a leader who is PM who is one of those that choses the people (EU Commisionsers) to over… seriously, I am not kidding you. Of course some decisions are left with our elected leaders but not many.

So being that I no longer live in a democratic Europe, I follow the only one that really matters, the US one. I have not voted since 1997, it means nothing.

However if Obama wins, the only good that will come out of it is one heck of a rebound the next time, but if he is anything like the people who have destroyed democracy in Europe, you might not even get that chance, he has already started attacking that much envied first amendment, if only we had that in Europe…

Helveticus – Your idea’s crazy. White Euros don’t care about race relations, really. It’s mouth music. They can support Obama, because they have no skin in the game. They’d NEVER elect him over there.

tomw – I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks of us (except that they respect our power). I do care what they think of Ahmadenijad. I don’t want him being seen as sitting at the adult’s table. Get it?

Christine – Many of those posting here are clearly far from being Ignorant Rednecks. What an IGNORANT thing to say! What’s wrong, by the way, with being religious? This is a conservative site. Don’t like it? Don’t come here. Good Lord!

Matt, Esq. – Are you kidding me? What Would Euros Do? In what way are they superior to us?

Economically? Their normal unemployment rate is over 8%. Their houses are smaller. Gas costs way more. They have nowhere near our lifestyle, despite the fact that they don’t spend on the military as much as they are required to by treaty (2% of GDP).

Culturally? They buy our culture left and right: music; movies; gadgets; clothes; food. They have more history, but the modern stuff comes from us.

Political? They roll over and wet on themselves when it comes to matters of principle. They’re political eunuchs. We have a strong President who can actually get something done. That’s why we’re the leader of the free world. That’s also why we have such contempt for their opinions. Americans hate wienies!

Only we indulge in the kind of large-scale largesse that we do. You know who is the most popular man in Africa? Bush! He has an 80% approval rating there, because of PEPFARS, etc…. This is something Angry African should consider, too. Africa LOVES Bush!